About us
CLIP has been organising language holidays for young people aged 6 to 24 for over 40 years, with respect for participants, parents, monitors, cooking teams and staff. Our success is a real team effort, and this approach has earned us recognition as a national youth organisation. This allows us to issue tax certificates for young people up to the age of 13.
CLIP is a non-profit organisation that promotes multilingualism. The organisation is supported by a board of directors, a professional secretarial team and a network of around 300 enthusiastic monitors, ranging from brand-new animators to experienced “ancients”. All employees remain active in the field to stay close to the camp experience.
CLIP also strives to involve diverse young people in its activities: most of the internship houses are adapted to participants with disabilities. Young people with learning difficulties also find their place at CLIP. Every year, a budget is set aside for those who are less well-off, so that they too can enjoy a “real” language holiday. In addition, young people of different nationalities also find their way to the camps.
Participants with a strong social commitment can take part in a social project in South Africa, Villeneuve, Thailand, Malta or Morocco. In South Africa, for example, we are involved in the Hope Flanders project. Together with the non-profit organisation, we provide field education to vulnerable children and regularly roll up our sleeves to help out. In Thailand, we visit a primary school and entertain the children with games and dancing!
...book a language holiday?
It's so much more than learning a foreign language
Your first real step towards independence: travelling without your parents, together with peers, in a new environment where you discover something new every day. You practise French or English not in a boring classroom, but in real life: at the market, in the city, during activities, workshops and fun evenings. After a few days, you’ll notice how you spontaneously dare to talk, make jokes in another language and simply address locals or international young people in French or English. This gives your self-confidence a huge boost and is a big plus for your future: studies, Erasmus, travelling, student jobs… suddenly the world feels a lot bigger and more accessible. CLIP language holidays are not only an investment in your language skills, but also in your future, and you will make friends for life!
Heidi Ketsman
Chairperson CLIP vzw
Our mission
Iedereen doet mee
At CLIP, a camp is not just about language, fun and adventure. It’s also about being together. Everyone counts. Everyone participates. Whether you are a monitor, participant, cook, supervisor or part of the secretariat: you are part of one group, one CLIP family. We believe that a language holiday only really works when everyone feels involved, feels safe and can be themselves. That’s why we all pitch in. Setting the tables, tidying up, helping with a game… Not because we have to, but because sharing responsibility creates a better atmosphere, more respect and solidarity.
By participating:
- Grows your self-confidence
- You feel more at ease
- You really get to know other people
- You become part of something bigger
At CLIP, no one is a spectator. We are all players, including our CLIP colleagues at the office. And that is precisely what makes our language holidays so special. Does your child have special needs, a special diet or require extra support? Please contact us – we are happy to listen, think along with you and make clear agreements together. This way, we ensure that your child can leave for camp without any worries and with a big smile on their face.
Learning to speak with confidence
If you have been on holiday with CLIP, then you know. These are not ordinary language holidays. What makes them unique is, first and foremost, the inspiration. Not WITH but IN. Many language camp organisations teach French through lessons in the classroom, one to two hours a day, supplemented by activities in English. With us, the language is playfully woven INTO animations and activities, so that you talk, play and discover as you go along—and often only realise afterwards how much you’ve learned.
French/English is simply incorporated into the animation and vice versa. Learning to dare to speak, that’s what it’s all about. It’s okay to make mistakes, but you have to try! The result is an incredible mix of countless fun and educational elements. Add to that the relentless ambition to continuously improve everything, and you know why this formula works.
Learning through play
At CLIP, language learning is not about boring lessons, but about experiencing, using and living language in real contexts. Young people are immersed in French or English through an approach that is active, creative and playful — and therefore perfectly suited to their world.
The goal is not grammatical perfection, but daring to use language. CLIP encourages confidence in speaking, self-assurance and motivation. Making mistakes is allowed — it is even an important part of learning.
The activities are supervised by trained language monitors with a passion for young people and education. They create a safe and stimulating atmosphere in which everyone is encouraged to participate — at their own pace, using their own talents.
CLIP proves that language learning does not have to be confined to the classroom. Learning through play is not an extra, but the foundation of a language holiday that really touches young people and helps them progress.
Everyone gets a boost
At CLIP, feeling good is key. Because only when you feel comfortable will you dare to really speak a new language. That’s why we opt for gentle and playful immersion, without pressure. No sudden language switch, just small steps in small groups.
Making mistakes is part of the process. We don’t correct strictly, but encourage with positive comments. This boosts confidence, increases motivation and gives everyone – from language whizzes to those who are unsure – the chance to progress.
Who does what?
Everyone participates, which is important to us at CLIP. During the summer, you won’t see us in the office very often, but you will find us at one of our camp locations. Together, we make a difference, ensure that everything runs smoothly, and that everyone feels good. Be sure to come and talk to us, we’d love to get to know you!
Elmo
CLIP dog
Always ready for hugs
CLIP & sustainability
CLIP is fully committed to sustainability — both at camp and in the office. We work paperless as much as possible: monitors use tablets instead of paper files. On site, we sort waste, process organic material and take food scraps to the local animal shelter in Villeneuve-de-Berg.
At the table, we make conscious choices: at least one vegetarian meal, large packaging to reduce waste, and no disposable materials. Everyone brings their own drinking bottle. In our creative activities, materials are given a second life through upcycling.
We raise awareness among participants about energy consumption (turning off lights, unplugging chargers, using sensors where possible).
Finally, we focus on sustainable travel: we try to organise every trip with a full bus.
